Cat's Cradle
by Caelitea
Summary: Once there were three, but how many are there now? —Akane, Shinya, Shogo, if they'd been childhood friends.


**Notes/Ramblings: **asfkdjdlfl I wrote a thing. I could not get the scene of Yuki's murder out of my mind and I just had to write something, though it initially wasn't this. Psycho Pass is consuming my heart and soul as of now and in the midst of all these different speculations and ships and excellent character/relationship analyses roaming around I suddenly thought _what if they were childhood friends? _and then this happened.  
-Hints (or not so hinty) of Shogo/Akane and Shinya/Akane. Not sure how I feel about Shogo/Akane but once the ship came to my attention it wouldn't leave, so why not.

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_(Once, there were three.)_

**CAT'S CRADLE**

_._

**[I]**

"_There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."_

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They are seven years old before she is born. They are two very different seven-year-olds, one that has an affinity for making friends and playing sports, while the other opts for the books and violins instead. They are two boys on the opposite sides of the world and when she is born, they begin to gravitate towards the center and it's like God (or Sybil that _is_ God) never gave them a choice to allow this to happen any other way.

It's cruel.

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Tsunemori Akane is five years old when she moves into the neighborhood; Makishima Shogo is twelve when he moves in, and so is Kougami Shinya. It's rather surprising that they are the three new kids on the block, so despite all their differences they tentatively become friends. Akane is warm and bubbly, Shinya is energetic and cool, and Shogo is mature and collected. They are a perfect complementary trio.

Childhood innocence is a treasure.

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Akane is fourteen when Shinya and Shogo are twenty-one. She's still in school and she pouts at the fact that she will be left alone while her two best friends go off and begin their careers under the benevolent eyes of Sybil.

"Come now, don't be like that," Shogo laughs, patting her on the head. The sun dyes the sky orange as she tries to not look upset at the fact they will be moving for their jobs. "You'll catch up soon. You're a bright girl."

"Yeah, it's not like you'll never see us again," Shinya says, also patting her on the head when Shogo removes his hand, "What do you think all this technology is for? Give us a call."

"You'll be too busy to talk to me," Akane mumbles, ducking her head as she frowns. "Shogo will be busy as a college literature professor and you'll be too busy chasing criminals as a detective."

"We will always find time for you, Akane," Shogo promises, and Shinya nods.

Shinya and Shogo smile at her reassuringly, and she gives in with a sigh and smiles back, enveloping both of them in a hug before they leave. They do keep their promise at first. What she doesn't count on is being busy herself, and one, three, six years pass without any contact. They have all changed their numbers during the course of this time and just like that, three best friends fall apart.

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Akane is twenty-one when she makes her decision to go into the Public Safety Bureau. When she rushes to the scene, still out of breath when she is introduced to her co-workers, her breath hitches in her throat when she spots a familiar face in the midst of the latent criminals.

Shinya looks so different after seven years without seeing him. The friendly smile is gone from his features and his eyes—his eyes are blank and cold. Akane shivers upon seeing him, and it is not because of the rain that is drenching her clothes.

When they meet eyes, there is the barest flicker of recognition and his lips form a tight line before he turns away.

It stings, admittedly, but Akane pulls herself together and dips into a bow. "My name is Tsunemori Akane, please take care of me!" she says, and her new life begins.

.

She discovers new sides to Shinya—no, Kougami. Ever since he opened up to her, just slightly, after the incident with the rape victim, they seem to be falling back into their old routine, if ever so slightly. He smokes now, and his desk is full of ashtrays and empty cans with cigarettes stuck in them. When he hunts, his eyes are those of a wild animal. He's still caring and considerate in his own way, but there is a gloominess to him now that she cannot place.

The fact that he is a latent criminal now weighs on her mind, because she cannot possibly imagine what pushed him to the extent of falling out of Sybil's favor. The Enforcers are demeaned as hunting dogs and she doesn't like that.

And she—she is an Inspector, an owner that holds the leashes attached to the hunting dogs' collars. Ginoza warns her not to get too close, but he seems to be aware of their previous relationship and she isn't sure how. When he allows her to read Kougami's personal file, the pieces begin to fall into place.

And when she goes to confront him, things truly begin to go downhill.

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Akane cannot believe the blurry picture that he places in front of her. She grips the edges so hard that it crumples slightly, and even though it's a badly taken picture she cannot forget the features of someone who used to be her friend.

"Tell me it isn't true," she breathes, but Kougami only lights a cigarette and leans against the counter.

"Sasayama delved too far into the Specimen Case…and that's how he ended up how he did. The leads he found were the name 'Makishima' and this picture."

"Shogo…Shogo went to become a literature professor at one of the most prestigious colleges Sybil had to offer," Akane whispers, "This can't be true. Shinya—!"

She looks up at him, distressed, and hearing his first name out of her lips surprises him. There is a shocked silence, because they have avoided the depths of their previous relationship as much as possible, and Akane drops her eyes and apologizes though it isn't necessary.

"I don't want to believe it either, Akane," he says quietly after some hesitation, and stubs the cigarette out in one of the several ashtrays littering the countertop. "But if it _is_ true…" he pauses, opening the refrigerator for a bottle of water. "When you turned out to be the new inspector…"

He trails off and rubs his neck, unsure of how to continue, but Akane understands. He wasn't displeased about seeing her, but at the fact that she would eventually become involved in this.

"We can't…let this continue. If it really is him, we have to stop him," she says firmly, gripping the picture again. Her body is trembling but her voice is strong, and Shinya gives her a sad sort of smile.

"I'm glad you're here, Akane," he tells her before she leaves. "We need someone like you."

.

The world is spinning and Shinya can hear Akane's friend calling his name but he cannot respond. The brief moment that he opens his eyes, he sees a familiar blur of white hair; he knows that lilting, musical voice (_it's been a long time…I'd like for us to talk all night, but you don't seem very well. I'll see you again some other time.) _and though he's _known_, having it confirmed feels worse than he'd imagined.

He doesn't know how much time has passed when he hears Masaoka and Akane's voices; he feels groggy and heavy and he can taste blood.

"Masaoka-san, I'm going ahead! This case isn't over yet!" Akane shouts, and Shinya tries to reach out a hand to stop her.

"Akane…don't!" he shouts, or at least he thinks he does; he can't tell if he's said anything, but as he lapses in and out of consciousness all he can think is _no, no, no, don't go_.

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She wanted to think that he hadn't changed, that it was all a misunderstanding. That was what she wanted to believe, even if it wasn't true.

It's definitely him. He has Yuki who is crying her name and a shotgun in his other hand and all Akane can focus on is that smile on his face, the fall of his hair over his shoulders and that _kind_ look in his amber eyes. It's Shogo, Shogo from her childhood whom she hasn't seen in seven years, Makishima Shogo who is a murderer.

"Akane," he says, and he looks amused at her horrified expression. "Long time no see. It must be my lucky day, running into two old friends within the same hour."

"Shogo," she breathes, forcing the trembling in her hands to stop as she points the Dominator at him, "Makishima Shogo, we've got serious charges against you on multiple crimes. Based on the Citizen's Charter, I demand you come with me!"

She grits her teeth when the Dominator's voice flows into her mind. _Crime coefficient is under 50. Not a target for enforcement action. Trigger will be locked._

He smiles, shoving Yuki forward gracelessly. The girl whimpers, and Akane tries to sound reassuring.

"Yuki! Don't worry, I'll save you now!"

"Akane!"

Makishima chuckles, moving back and leaning against the wall. "How touching," he says, "We used to be good friends too, didn't we, Akane?"

"Let Yuki go!" the Inspector says, pointing the Dominator at him again. _Not a target for enforcement action. Trigger will be locked._ It doesn't feel right, yelling at Shogo like this, but though he looks the same (if older) the air around him is cold and—and she can't quite tell who she is seeing. The man in front of her is an ambiguous mix of a friend and a stranger.

"You know, Akane…by analyzing a bio-organism's force field read by cymatic scans, they figure out how a person's mind works. The intelligence of science finally figured out the secret of souls, changing this society drastically. However, people's wills are not part of the assessment. I wonder just what kind of criteria you use to divide people into good and evil." He pauses, and stares into the depths of her honey-colored eyes. "I want to see the splendor of people's souls. I want to check and see if it's really precious, but when humans base their lives around Sybil's Oracle without ever consulting their own wills, does it really hold any value?"

"Your mouth hasn't gotten any less smart," Akane says, unsure of if she's relieved or frightened at this, and he laughs. "You were perfect as a college professor. How did you fall so low?"

Makishima smiles and doesn't answer, dropping the shotgun at her feet. He handcuffs Yuki to the railing and opens a blade. Yuki whimpers, and Akane steps forward with worry etched into her brows.

"I deemed Shinya worthy, but now that I've also run into you, why don't I test you as well? Let me see your conviction as a detective, Akane. Use that to kill me. Otherwise, you can say goodbye to Funahara Yuki as I kill her right before your eyes."

The screech that Yuki lets out when the blade drags against her back echoes and sinks into her very core.

_Crime coefficient is 32. Not a target for enforcement action. Trigger will be locked._

"Why?!" she hisses, forcing the tears back. Makishima smiles, examining the blood on his blade.

"You remember what my Psycho-Pass was back then, don't you? It's never changed. It never got clouded, not once. I've always wondered why. But doesn't that just mean that my actions are that of one who is just and good?" he pauses as he stares at his childhood friend. "Come, Akane. Aim at me with the intention to kill."

Akane picks up the shotgun, staring into Makishima's eyes, legs trembling. The sound of the bullets echoes like Yuki's scream, but the shots do not reach her target. When she falls to her knees, she can see the disappointment in Makishima's eyes as he pulls back Yuki's hair, baring her throat.

"You know, once I saw Shinya, I thought about you a lot too. Little Akane, the center of both our worlds. Childhood was so pure, wasn't it? And now look where we are, standing on opposite sides as enemies. Haven't you ever questioned Sybil's reign?"

He puts the blade to Yuki's throat, and Akane's eyes widen.

"Shogo," she whispers, "Shogo, don't."

He chuckles again. "It's nice to hear you say my name, Akane. I've missed you. But it's regrettable how this turned out. So very regrettable, Inspector Tsunemori Akane."

She can see the blood welling up on the blade as she points her Dominator towards him again. _Crime coefficient is 0. Not a target for enforcement action. Trigger will be locked._

_(pure white pure white)_

Makishima Shogo's smile is sickeningly sweet as he watches his childhood friend stare up at him in pure horror. "I still love you, Akane. But you've disappointed me greatly today."

He takes pleasure in the piercing scream that she lets out when he drags the blade against Funahara Yuki's throat. When he walks away, he does not look back.

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"_Ms. Tsunemori Akane's Psycho-Pass Hue this morning is powder blue! Have a wonderful day with that healthy mind of yours!"_

When she digs her nails into her arm, powder blue is not the color she feels. She cannot help the tears that fall into her hands and for the first time, her faith in Sybil shakes.

.

They say she recovered fast, and perhaps she did. She did tell him that she couldn't mope around forever, and he gave her credit for that. But he could see how much Funahara Yuki's death had wounded her, how Makishima's cruelty plagued her, how Sybil's judgment weighed on her mind. She forced herself to relive that moment to give Ginoza and Karanomori the information they needed and when he is released from the medical ward, in the cover of the shadows of an abandoned hallway, he lets her cry herself dry in the arms of a childhood friend.

He narrows his eyes at the thought of Makishima and his all-knowing smirk.

Some hundred miles away, Makishima Shogo smiles as he throws a knife at the picture of three children smiling as they are bathed in yellow sunlight.

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**[II]**

"_I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum."_

_._

They next time they are sent out with the mission of capturing Makishima Shogo, the sky dims to black and Akane can't help but wonder if it is the color of Sybil's Hue, if it has one.

.

"Kagari! Don't do anything reckless," Kougami says as they board the escalator.

"I don't want _you_ telling me that, Ko-chan!" the other Enforcer laughs, but Akane leans over the side and stares at him with serious eyes.

"Please be careful, Kagari-san!" she yells, with a somewhat desperate tone. She doesn't like that he is going alone, especially when they are dealing with Makishima and his cohorts. The orange-haired officer blinks in surprise, but his lips crack into a grin.

"Hey, hey, I'm just a disposable hunting dog, you don't need to look so worried!" he calls back as she begins to get further away.

Akane grits her teeth at his blasé attitude about his life and makes sure to shout extra loud. "Then as a _loyal _hunting dog, make sure you come back to me! That's an _order_!"

Kagari blinks again in surprise when she is out of sight, then chuckles. "Oya oya…looks like I made my owner mad. I'll have to apologize to her later…"

And with that, he turns and walks into the basement, shadows enveloping his back.

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Kougami glances back at her with a slight smile. "Come back to you, eh? This is the first time I've heard you play along with the dog analogy."

"I don't like it, but if it's what makes him listen…" she says rather stubbornly, as she peeks around the wall before staring at him. "But it goes for you as well. I will not let Makishima kill anyone else."

Kougami smiles and pats her on the head, and it's though he's already known it, little Akane has truly grown up into a fine woman.

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He doesn't want to leave her, not in this state. But when she ties a cloth around her thigh, blood dripping onto the steel stairs, and turns to him with honey eyes burning with determination, he forces himself to move on.

"Make sure you catch him," she says, and he nods before he confronts his nemesis.

.

"'Justice is suspect to dispute; might is easily recognized and is not disputed. So, we cannot give might to justice.'"

"Sorry, but 'I have long since learned, as a measure of elementary hygiene, to be on guard when anyone quotes Pascal.'"

Makishima laughs. "I knew you'd say that. Ortega, isn't it? I would have said the same words, had you been the one to quote Pascal." He walks down the bloodred stairs, steps echoing in the emptiness of the room. "Long time no see, Shinya. You're looking better than before."

"You're going to regret letting me live, Makishima Shogo," Kougami snarls, pointing the Dominator at Makishima's head.

_Crime coefficient is 0. Not a target for enforcement action. Trigger will be locked._

The white-haired man laughs. "From the look on your face, you don't forgive me for doing what I did to Akane, do you?"

"You changed for the worse," Kougami growls, tossing the Dominator aside as he crouches into an offensive stance. "You used to care for her."

"I still do," Makishima replies, falling into his own stance, "Let's just say my love is different from yours."

Though in their childhood Shogo was never the one to really participate in sports, he was always rather adept at them. Even now, though his skinny frame and pretty-boy looks gave the opposite impression, Shogo was an excellent fighter.

"Don't you want to know the truth behind the Sybil System, Shinya?" he taunts, bringing his elbow down on the Enforcer's arm. The bone cracks with a sickening sound. "The Sybil System that separated us in such a cruel manner?"

Kougami grimaces as he blocks another blow, choosing not to answer. He knows there is something more to the reason why Makishima hates Sybil's Oracle. The two continue their deadly dance, the sharp cracks of bone breaking loud in the quiet air.

There is a wild smile on Makishima's face when he throws the Enforcer down and manages to land a well-aimed kick on Kougami's head, watching as he rolls across the floor with blood seeping from his skull.

"I had thought this would end in a less disappointing manner, Shinya…" he says, slightly out of breath. He brings out his blade, shining and clean from the time he used it to kill another. "But even so, for the first time in a long while, I was able to forget my boredom. I appreciate it."

Kougami stares up at him, breath white coming out white from the cold as he tries to find a trace of his childhood friend. He's not sure what he's looking for; he wonders if perhaps Shogo was always this way, but neither he nor Akane ever noticed it. Shogo was always a splendid actor, but Shinya had been sure that back then, he was happy for a while, at least.

"Goodbye, Shinya," Makishima Shogo says with a smile on his face.

He does not hear the light footsteps behind him until it is too late, and the crunch of the helmet colliding with the back of Makishima's head echoes louder than a scream. The thud of his body hitting the floor is sound and sure.

"Shinya!" Akane gasps, falling to her knees as she touches his face lightly. The amount of blood is shocking and she's afraid of how much damage he has taken.

"Inspector…" he begins, but he blinks and tries again. "Akane…kill him."

The (request, order, plea, judgment) is heavy in the silence.

She lifts the helmet and makes her way to Makishima, hesitating as she holds it up in the air. _For Yuki, _she thinks, remembering her friend's bright smile and encouraging words, _he killed Yuki. _The memories from that day flash in her mind, clear as water, and the tears well up in her eyes. The Dominator that Kougami had thrown aside glows in the dimness, and she knows that Makishima Shogo cannot be judged by the eyes of Sybil. _Because of him, Yuki…!_

The tears roll down her cheeks as the helmet trembles in her fingertips.

Kougami closes his eyes when he hears the sound of it drop, and he isn't sure whether he feels disappointed or relieved.

"Makishima…Shogo. You're…under arrest," Akane says, and the snap of the handcuffs sounds a little bit like the unforgiving execution of a blade.

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**[III]**

"_Madness in great ones must not unwatched go."_

_._

When they visit him in his cell, he is reading _1984 _by George Orwell. His cell is pure white like his Hue and it is separated from all the others; there is some sort of extra security here, supposedly Sybil's best.

"What an honor," Shogo says, smiling as he lowers his novel, "I didn't think you'd come see me."

Akane and Shinya's lips both tighten into a line as they look at him.

"You killed three of my friends," Akane says, and were he a more sensitive person the tone of her voice would have stung. Instead, Shogo smiles and puts his book down on the table, laying a hand on the cover.

"Funahara Yuki was the first," he says conversationally, "And I suppose Kagari Shuusei did not survive his encounter with Choe Gu-Sung. Who was the third?"

His smile widens slightly as he watches the sheen in Akane's eyes glitter in the light as she forces back tears.

"You," she says. "Yourself, Makishima Shogo."

His face is unreadable as they stare at each other, the silence growing longer and longer.

"Say," Shogo begins as they turn to leave, "Do androids dream of electric sheep?"

The two turn back and the look on their faces is mild surprise. A few heartbeats pass and they don't answer, though he can see them turning the question over in their heads. He always liked that about them, that they always listened.

"…Goodbye, Shogo," they both say, and when the doors close behind them he is still smiling that angelic, faultless smile of his.

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"_Well, well, let's get on with it…"_

_._

**[end]**

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**End Notes:  
**-All the quotes that are with the roman numerals are from William Shakespeare's _Hamlet_. To be honest, I haven't read the play but I did do some research and thought those quotes would be fitting/would give some insight. The very last one, "well, well, let's get on with it…" is the last line from Jean-Paul Sartre's play, _No Exit_.

-Regarding the title, I originally wanted something with _three/tri/grey_ in it and somehow arrived at _Cat's Cradle_; I liked the idea of the strings, but wasn't too happy with the fact that it's mostly a two-player game. But in the end I used it because who are the two players, and who is the lone observer? The most obvious answer seems to be Shinya and Shogo as the main players with Akane on the side, but is it really? And though they say it's a simple game, I'd imagine it's easy to get tangled if you don't quite have an understanding on it. I was never good at it, myself. Bleh, I always have a hard time coming up with titles, so do with it what you will. Thanks for reading!


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